Your Turn
by ImagineMallie
Summary: A series of moments that Callie and Mark share with Sofia and with each other in the first four years of their baby's life.
1. Chapter 1

**1 Week**

Sofia Sloan-Torres' cry pierced the dark room. Callie's iHome glowed 5:43 a.m. It was nearing the time she would normally get up to go to the hospital. The last week, however, had changed her internal clock. She felt like she'd been hit by a truck after a week of sleepless nights. Mark rustled the sheets next to her.

"I've got it."

"No," Callie grumbled. "She's hungry. And it's my turn anyway."

Callie pushed her wild hair away from her face and gently rolled out of bed, careful not to disturb the fading soreness between her legs. She was still wearing Mark's old flannel button downs over her deflated belly, unable to see how she'd ever get back into her lingerie.

Walking over to the bassinet in the corner of the room, she saw her blue-eyed, black haired daughter wriggling uncomfortably in her tiny purple onesie. Callie bent over to scoop up all 8 lbs of Sofia, and cradled the infant to her chest. Sofia's crying instantly turned to soft whimpers at her mother's warmth. Callie breathed in her baby's delicious scent. As exhausting as it was, she'd do anything for her beautiful Sofia. They made their way to the living room couch, so Callie could catch up on the news while Sofia nursed and Mark slept. Callie curled up and supported Sofia's head, watching her tiny lips suck away. Her baby was breathtaking.

**11 months**

At 7 a.m. on the dot, Sofia let her presence be known to her parents.

"No! I want to sleep." Callie covered her ears with the pillow, having recently started to let the baby just cry.

"It's your turn."

"Let her cry, Mark. She needs to self-soothe. She's almost a year old."

Mark ignored her and got up anyway, going to the next room, the only room that had evaded Callie's "edgy" decorating. Sofia's walls were painted a light periwinkle color and the room was filled with plush stuffed animals – her favorite was her elephant.

"Good morning, baby," Mark said softly.

Sofia had pulled herself up in her crib and was looking at Mark with her huge, inquisitive blue eyes. "Dada." She immediately seemed surprised at herself, then immensely proud. "Dada."

"Yes!" Mark shouted. "I win!"

"Dada," Sofia repeated.

"That's right, Sof, I'm your Dad. I'm a Dad."

Callie had come bounding out of bed at the shout. "What happened?"

"She said her first word," Mark proudly exclaimed.

"What? I missed it?" Callie's eyes welled up with tears. She had gone back to work when Sofia was four months old and her worst fears were missing her baby girl's milestones.

"She only said it a few times."

"It doesn't matter, I still missed it. I'm quitting tomorrow."

"Don't be ridiculous, Callie."

"Dada," Sofia interjected.

"She-she-she said it," Callie breathed.

"Told ya. She's awesome." Mark responded.

They lifted her out of her crib and showered her with kisses.

"Beat you, Torres," Mark smirked over Sofia's head.

**23 months**

"Mamamamamama," Sofia babbled over the monitor.

She'd gone to bed only a few hours ago and Callie and Mark were attempting to have a somewhat romantic evening. They remembered how two years ago, almost to the hour, Callie's water had broken while they ate Chinese food in the living room. They'd looked at each other, in complete shock, their baby, their mighty oak, was about to make her appearance. It had been 21 hours, of refusal of medication and screaming, but when Sofia Arielle Sloan-Torres made her appearance, the room fell silent. They had a baby.

Callie tiptoed into Sofia's room in her robe, hoping the baby wouldn't see her. No such luck. Sofia instantly sat up. "Mama."

Mark and Callie had given up taking turns at night a few months ago. It was now whomever Sofia called for.

"Wet," Sofia said.

Callie lifted her out of her crib. Even though Sofia would be turning two the next day, it still surprised Callie at how much her daughter had grown in her short life. Callie carried Sofia over to the changing table, where her she lay quietly and cooperatively, sucking on the ear of her favorite elephant, which had been appropriately dubbed "ellie-phant."

With her pajamas back in place, Sofia looked up at her mom and grinned. Callie's heart melted. She picked Sofia up and took her over to the rocking chair, where Callie cradled her against her chest like she used to as a baby and hummed lullabies softly in her ear. Sofia fell asleep almost instantly, but Callie couldn't bring herself to put Sofia back to bed. She loved her precious girl too much to let go.

She must have dozed off herself because she woke to Mark lifting Sofia off of her chest.

"Sorry, babe," she whispered.

He shook his head and motioned to Sofia, "she's such a big girl now."

**3 ½**

As soon as Sofia transferred to her "big girl" bed she started coming to her parents' bedroom instead of calling out for them in the night or when she woke up. On this particular morning, Sofia, reached up to open the door and saw that both her Mommy and Daddy were still sleeping. She padded over to Callie's side of the bed, curly black hair just as wild as her mom's, and stared at Callie's face. It didn't take Callie long to wake up to those eyes boring into her.

"Sof, how long have you been standing there?"

Sofia shrugged. She was still at the age where time meant nothing. She began to climb into the bed, her butt wiggling in the air as she made her way up, when Callie suddenly lifted Sofia out of the way and bolted to the bathroom. Mark jerked awake when Sofia's foot kicked his back.

"Sofia, what are you doing?"

Sofia's lower lip trembled. "Mommy, threw me in the bed and ran away."

"What? Where did Mommy run to?"

Before Sofia could answer, Mark heard the sounds coming out of the bathroom.

"Sofia, go to the kitchen and get one of your cups. Bring it to me, please."

"What's Mommy doing?"

"I think she has a tummy-ache, Sof. Will you help me make her feel better?"

Sofia nodded, always willing to help.

Mark opened the bathroom door to find Callie lying on the tile next to the toilet with a sheen of sweat covering her face.

"Cal, do you have the flu?"

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Sofia could have brought something back from daycare," he continued.

"Mark, I really don't think so."

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't the first time this has happened. It started last week. It usually happens before you and Sofia wake up or inconveniently at work."

"You mean…" his voice trailed off.

"I think another Sloan-Torres is on the way."

"Torres-Sloan," he stated.

"Sloan-Torres. We're still not married."

He'd placed an engagement ring on her finger almost two years ago, and they still hadn't gotten around to planning a wedding between their work schedules and Sofia.

"Have you taken a test yet?"

"No."

"Let's not get too excited until we have reason."

They'd debated having another baby since Sofia turned two, but the timing never seemed right. In the last few months, though, they hadn't exactly been taking necessary precautions.

"Go play with Sofia for five minutes, I'll take one now."

"I want to be here!" He whined, "I missed it with Sofia."

"Okay, at least turn the TV on for her."

Mark found Sofia in the kitchen deep in the cabinet that held her plates and cups.

"Sofia, I think Dora's on."

"I can't decide which color cup Mommy will want."

"Mommy's feeling better."

Mark set his daughter up in front of the TV and went back into the bathroom where Callie was staring at a white stick.

"You did it without me?" He pouted.

"I peed without you, you'll be here when it comes up. Ugh. I can't look."

She sat down on the floor.

Thirty seconds later a smile spread across Mark's face. "Sofia's going to be a big sister."


	2. Chapter 2

**3 months **

"I never want to go back," Callie whined.

"Don't be ridiculous, Cal."

"Seriously, Mark. How can I leave her at home with a stranger?"

It was Callie's last month at home with Sofia as a full-time mom, and the guilt of leaving her baby so soon was starting to eat at her. She smiled at Sofia and ran her fingers over the baby's belly.

"You don't want Mommy to leave you, right?"

"Callie, you still have a whole month left. Don't think about it yet."

"Daddy's being so silly," Callie told Sofia in a sweet voice.

Callie stood up to get a glass of water, eyes never leaving the baby, who was on her back on the floor. As she stood at the sink, Sofia's little face scrunched up.

"Mark," she called to the bedroom, "Sofia's going to poop. It's your turn to change her."

Callie smiled to herself. She really didn't mind changing Sofia's diapers; it was just more fun watching Mark squirm.

"Are you going to be stinky, baby?" she cooed.

Slowly, Sofia rolled from her back to her front, as if trying to get closer to Callie's voice.

Callie stared, speechless, tears forming in her eyes. Mark walked out of the bedroom.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" He said in a rush.

Callie pointed at Sofia. "She rolled over."

"What?"

"Maybe she'll do it again."

Callie kissed Sofia's soft black hair and turned her back over.

Sofia pumped her legs in the air. Her face scrunched up.

"That's the face she made before!" Callie bent over and sniffed at Sofia's bottom. "No poop. That must be her universal concentration face."

"She's not doing anything."

"Just give her a minute," Callie snapped.

Sofia reached up, towards Callie's face.

"It's your voice, Cal. She's trying to get closer to you."

Callie moved to Sofia's side. "Sofia, honey, show Daddy your new trick."

She began to whimper, wanting to be picked up, and then rolled from her back to stomach.

Callie scooped her up and cradled her sleepy girl close. Sofia's eyes immediately began drooping shut. Callie looked up at Mark on her way into Sofia's nursery. He stood there speechless.

**2 ½ **

Callie pushed the stroller with one hand and held Mark's hand with the other. It was a rare, sunny spring day in Seattle and they both had the day off. Sofia had recently entered an animal obsessed phase. She refused to respond to her name, but switched off between "Baby Kitty" and "Baby Froggy."

"Sofia, are you excited to see the cows?" Mark asked her.

She gave him a stern look. "Me Baby Kitty."

"I'm sorry. Baby Kitty, are you excited to see the cows?"

Callie laughed at the interaction.

They passed through the big red barn doors and Sofia immediately began screaming.

Callie ran to pick her up from the stroller. Sofia buried her face in Callie's shoulder, soaking it with tears.

Mark gave his fiancée a quizzical look. Callie was just as confused. Sofia had so been looking forward to seeing all of her favorite farm animals.

"Sofia, look at the cows. Can you tell me what sound the cows make?"

"Moo," Sofia said into Callie's shirt.

"Sofi, will you come look at the cows with me? I think they're excited to see you too."

Mark went to take Sofia from Callie's arms.

"MOMMY!" Sofia shrieked, and tightened her grip around Callie's neck.

"Sweetie, it's okay. Daddy just wants to show you all the animals. What's wrong?"

"Big."

"What?"

Again, Callie and Mark looked at each other in confusion.

"Big cow."

It suddenly clicked. Sofia had never seen a cow up close before and the size of the cows lined up in the barn terrified her.

"Sofia, I'm going to pet the cow's nose. Would you like to do it with me?" Callie asked.

She nodded.

Callie took Sofia's small hand in hers and brushed it against the cow's nose.

Sofia giggled and lifted her head.

"See, Sof, they like you."

**4 **

"Sofia, what do you want for breakfast?" Mark called to her from the kitchen of their new house.

"I want Mommy to make it," Sofia yelled back.

"Mommy's sleeping."

"Can we wake her up?"

"No. Your little sister is making her tired."

Callie had two more weeks of work before her leave started, and it was becoming quite a struggle to make it through full workdays at 7 ½ months pregnant.

"You don't know how to make breakfast, Daddy," Sofia said indignantly.

"Yes, Sofia, I do. How about cereal?"

"No. I want pancakes."

"Fine."

Ten minutes later, Mark slid a plate of pancakes in front of his daughter.

"Nooooo. This isn't how Mommy makes them. You made them wrong!" Sofia slid from her seat and bolted up the stairs.

"Sofia, come back here," Mark whispered angrily as he ran after her.

Mark followed her footsteps to the open door to his and Callie's bedroom where Sofia was standing next to Callie crying.

"Sofia, Daddy knows how to make pancakes too."

"No he doesn't! His don't look like Mickey Mouse."

"Sofia, those are Mommy's special pancakes. If Daddy also made them like that then they wouldn't be so special."

Callie stroked Sofia's wild black hair. Their four year old was becoming more and more ornery as the arrival of her little sister got closer.

"What if Daddy brings the pancakes upstairs and the three of us eat breakfast in bed together?"

"Will Zoe eat your pancakes, Mommy?"

"I'm going to share my pancakes with Zoe, Sof. She's hungry too," Callie said, placing a hand on her swollen belly.

Mark walked back down stairs trying to remember when Sofia began favoring Callie. He flipped some more pancakes and placed the stack on a tray with syrup and strawberries.

"Here I come, Sofia."

He waited for the giggle that always brightened his entrance, but it never came. Instead he found Sofia curled up around Callie, quietly sucking her thumb, a habit that had suddenly reappeared. He put on a smile. "Girls, breakfast's here."


End file.
